Fruit Leather Recipe

Homemade fruit is the perfect snack for any health conscious foodies.  This no-sugar added recipe is great as a childrens snack - they won't be able to tell the difference!  

Step 1: Ingredients

Fresh Fruit - I used strawberries, wash and cut off the tops
Lemon Juice - 1-2 table spoons

Comments

[CaitlinReu]

I have a question: can you make the puree ahead of time, then refrigerate it (say, overnight) and then do the rest of the recipe the next day? I have an 11-month-old and a husband who works 15-16 hour days and live in a town in which I know nobody, and the food processor terrifies my child, so I have a very limited window of time in which I can use it.

[Beekeeper]

I have made lots of fruit leather especially when I committed to the 100 mile diet - that is when one commits to eat nothing that comes from more than 100 miles from where one lives, for a period of 100 days. It really drives home the message about how expensive our food is to the environment when you consider all the miles it travels and the CO2 emissions en route.

First, note that most fruit leather is 90% apples with 10% blueberries, plums, strawberries or other – or 100% apples.

Cut the apples into quarters and remove the core. Leave the skin on. Cut smaller and fill a big microwave-proof bowl. Add a small amount of other fruit if you like. Microwave until the apple is cooked (doing it in the microwave means you don’t have to add extra liquid to prevent it burning).

Now transfer the fruit to your food processor, add a good dollop of honey and process until everything is pureed.

In a small room in your house, set up a de-humidifier and a sheet of plywood or similar covered with a piece of 6mil polythene (the fruit leather doesn’t stick to poly). Spread the fruit puree onto the plastic at about quarter of an inch thick, switch on the de-humidifier and close the door. In about 24 hours or maybe less, the leather is dry enough to be peeled off and turned over. Another 24 hours and it will probably be ‘done’. Roll it up and bag it as it is hygroscopic.

I actually made a gadget to spread an even ¼ inch layer of the puree 6 inches wide, rather like a hopper. This is just a simple wooden box about 6 inches wide and 2 inches across and 2 or 3 inches deep, open top and bottom. But one of the long sides is ¼ inch less deep so that when placed on the plastic there is a ¼ inch slot at the bottom. I fill the hopper and as I drag it across the plastic it deposits an exact 6 inch wide x ¼ inch thick ribbon of puree.

[queerpuppy]

I'd love to see an instructable of how to build that hopper!

[Beekeeper]

If I could add photos to a reply I would as that would make it easy for you to understand - but I can't. Size doesn't matter much but mine is made from strips of wood about quarter of an inch thick and 3 inches wide. Cut two pieces 7 inches long and two pieces 2 inches long. Nail the long pieces to the short ones to make a box, open top and bottom, BUT when nailing the second long side raise it up about a quarter of an inch or slightly less. I've just measured mine and it is 2 tenths. That's it. Now when you put the box on something flat three sides will be touching the surface and the fourth side will be quarter of an inch off the surface. Fill the 'hopper' with your puree and drag it across the plastic. You will need to refill the hopper as you go. Is that clear?

[tonygoffe]

...For "Korlee" ....this is the USA ...strictly Imperial Measure...ie. 140 F

[queerpuppy]

Thanks for clarification! I did wonder whether Fahrenheit or Centigrade, as I'm in the UK - where ovens can be listed in either!

[ecanod]

....and this is Spain, Europe, using International Standad units. Many readers and contributors are outside the USA.

Use the units you want, ant let others do the same. But this is all about communication, so specifying the units you are using is part of a good communication.

[londobali]

Great Ible... I rate it 5* !!
I've always wanted to try drying fruits for hiking and mountaineering, will try it out one of these days...

ehm.. for "tonygoffe"... i think that's a great question by Korlee, since instructible members aren't only people residing in the US, and certainly not everyone are using the Imperial Measure.

Cheers..

[iaincwil]

this may seem right !but what all the ones that are in metric and no imperial!!!!!!!
many more I expect, so we generation that are stuck in the past have to try converting everything from metric into imperial which is a nightmare,
so just leave the pint, quart, 3/16" 2" etc alone and get on with your life,

in peace
michael

[tonygoffe]

...sigh...No, I live in Jamaica, where we OFFICIALLY use metric..but my old habits and perceptions die hard...was just trying to be helpful...
SUGGESTION : ALL Instructables should be posted in BOTH systems..so that the rest of the world may benefit.............not that difficult1!

[AussieAnglerGal]

here here! those (like me) who use a different system have to scratch our heads about time/measurements/heats when we could be making awesome stuff like this fruit leather :) :) :)

[AussieAnglerGal]

i LOVED fruit leather as a younger child ( i could have lived off fruit and nuts then...) but haven't found it since! i love the idea of making it myself :)

[embochner]

looks great. how do you store once its ready? does it need to be refrigerated? how long does it last?

[rrkrose]

Awesome recipe but mine turned out to be burned on the sides and only the middle was like it should be.

[sbarker2]

Does it just have to be strawberries? Or any fruit that can be baked?

Also do you have to add the lemon juice? Or is it just for preserving it?

[CharlieWebb]

You can use any fruit, pretty much. The lemon is used so it can better the taste, as well as adding sugar. When you've got a puree, see if it needs either, sometimes it does, sometime it doesn't. (:

[mobiledeb]

Blueberries on sale this week at the market. I'm going to give this one a try. Excellent instructable by the way. Thank you.

[Dragontrap]

Mmmm.... will totally have to make this in the near future (thankfully I have access to a dehydrator, so that makes it doubly easy)!

[seemabootwala]

If v cook the mixture for a little longer. Can shorten the baking time?

[Korlee]

Is it F or C that 140 degrees?

Lovely instructable! Gotta try at next summer, there's no strawberries in 0,5m of snow ;)

[caityjay]

It'll be F; the oven is acting more as a dehydrator in this case, so it should be as low as possible. Some ovens don't go that low, so you may have to crack the door open :)

[Korlee]

Ok, Thanks!
So it's about 60C :)

[porcupinemamma]

You wrote a very clear Instructable. Your instructions were easy to follow, and your pictures turned out great! I want to try to make this really soon. Thanks so much!!!

[hlanelee]

A car parked in the hot sun makes an exceptional food dehydrator. I've dried fruits and vegetables on the front seat of my car for years. I've made fruit leathers in the car too. Remember to crack one window a bit so the moisture doesn't build up inside.

[Eacon]

Nice Instructable! I once saw a version with mango and one with quince. However I am tempted to try one with apricots, plums or even bananas. Have you ever done it with some other kind of fruit? Also, any idea how long you can store them (e.g. in a glass container)? This seems like a good way to enjoy strawberries out of their season.

[sunshiine]

I love the way you tied the fruit leather! Thanks for sharing this! Have a great day!
sunshiine

[fluffydragon]

Can you tell me how much it should reduce? Are we talking 'coat back of spoon' or 'spoon in pot stands upright'?

[Sabata]

I've seen recipes for fruit leather before but never had the urge to try it. I just might give it a go now. BTW, I'm thinking Carleyy should combine this 'ible with the one she did on edible underwear... and include plenty of pics wearing the finished product(s). ;-)

[Serik_alg]

It's  look delicious, but i'd like other thinks

[Jayefuu]

I love this stuff!

[muzza.wood]

can I ask 140 degrees or fahrenheit?

[acosully]

definitely fahrenheit. thats the standard temp for dehydrating in an oven because its the lowest they go.

[Nemesis201077]

I keep being really lazy and not getting round to doing this with the abundance of plums I have. They're a little sharp, so I tend to add a little honey as a sweetener rather than sugar. This is a great way to preserve any fruit and a very tasy snack, vacumn packed it's a pretty good addition to your hiking pack too.
Thanks for the reminder, now I just have to wait for a summer so I can harvest some strawberries, mind you I don't think here in the UK we've seen a summer for years. :-)

[Bongmaster]

yea u have. its that time of year wen u can go out in the rain in a t-shirt, and way too muggy at night to sleep.

[tylercard]

looks delicious! I wish it didn't take so long or I'd make some right now.

[clrobertson]

Nice job! My food dehydrator went out on me last summer, so it's great to still have a way to make my kids' favorite snacks!

[mikeasaurus]

Yum, these look delicious!